English Chess Forum

[Event "Metropolitan summer tournament (Silver Queen)"] [Site "Metropolitan"] [Date "2014.07.10"] [White "P. Szabó"] [Black "N. Chorley"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [PlyCount "61"] 1. g3 e5 2. c4 Nf6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 d6 5. Bg2 Be6 6. d3 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. b4 Nbd7 9. e4 Qc7 10. Bg5 a6 11. Qd2 Rfd8 12. Bxf6 Bxf6 13. b5 c5 14. Ng5 Bxg5 15. Qxg5 Nb6 16. bxa6 bxa6 17. Qe3 Rab8 18. Nd5 Nxd5 19. exd5 Bf5 20. f4 Re8 21. fxe5 Rxe5 22. Be4 Bg6 23. Rf4 Rb2 24. Rf2 Qb6 25. Rxb2 Qxb2 26. Qc1 Qd4+ 27. Kf1 Bxe4 28. dxe4 Rxe4 29. Rb1 Qd3+ 30. Kg2 f6 31. Qf1

I have not faced 1. g3 very often (if at all) in OTB chess, but that didn't bother me too much. I just tried to stick to basic principles. It looked like the position was quite cramped for Black, but it didn't feel like it. After 9. e4, one plan seemed to be to play for getting a knight to d4, so I played Rfd8 intending to get my knight there via f8 and e6 (after exchanging the light-squared bishop for the knight on f3). However, after playing c5, I realised I'd given myself a weakness on d5, so wanted to play Nb6 later instead.

Péter admitted his self-pin 22. Be4 was annoying for him. It looks like I missed 23. ... f5, which I realised only a few moves afterwards. I played Rb2 just to tie him down to the a pawn and possibly later to put something else on the b file.

After 31. Qf1, Péter offered a draw and I accepted. I was feeling really tired and just wanted to go home and sleep (I get up at 5:00 to go to work...). I've not looked deeply at possible continuations, but there's Qxf1, followed by Rxc4. I assume that he'd recapture on f1 with the king, so that he can then play Rb6. The intent for me would then be to take some more pawns and push mine, but I guess I'd have to be careful of his d pawn.

Quite pleased with that, especially as I think Péter's generally quite a bit stronger than me.

Nicky Chorley wrote: I have not faced 1. g3 very often (if at all) in OTB chess, but that didn't bother me too much.

With 2. c4, you are just back in an English. (1. c4 e5 2. g3)

At the end, Black is much better and there's the alternative plan of using the queen and rook as an attacking force. It might be the best move to immediately exchange queens but other ideas to tie White up are possible .. Qc2 perhaps. I thought 30. .. f6 a bit suspect, since if the queens stay on, the Black King may become vulnerable. I agree that the bank rank mate had to be thwarted, but 30. .. g6 leaves the King safer.

I didn't get the impression playing through the game that Black was ever in any real danger.

Roger de Coverly wrote:I thought 30. .. f6 a bit suspect, since if the queens stay on, the Black King may become vulnerable. I agree that the bank rank mate had to be thwarted, but 30. .. g6 leaves the King safer.

Or Re2+ is just mate in 5...

Eagle-eyed Richard! Nicky and Roger go to the bottom of the class... (though I'm not saying I would have seen it immediately, it is rather obvious when pointed out). (PS. Nicky, if that was the final position, did your opponent not see this as well? Don't feel bad about it, as missing things like that after a draw offer is not that uncommon. Was the time control at move 30?).

The final position was after 31. Qf1. I think both of us missed the mate after 30. Kg2 Re2+ and I've just seen one line now. I already am at the bottom of the class, compared with most here (grade-wise, anyway) .

Also, I don't face the English regularly either . Actually, I've had White in most of my games this season strangely.

No comments on the game (though I did think Re2+ looked a useful move, without calculating the mate). But I am pleased to see Metropolitan's Summer tournaments still going strong 40 years after I played in them, when I spent a couple of years working in London in the 1970s. I thing the ones I played in were the Silver King and Naumann Cup - are they still going?

Yes, both sections are still going and the Championship is the top section. This year, we have 27 players across all sections.